Chapter 119

119 Chapter 11It was a trap set by the Lord of the Mines and like a blind rat Aeryn fell for it. She started with a weep and continued to explain at how sad she was for losing her son, then she went on to tell Leoric everything that Artemis forbade her to say. From the origin of Aurora, the House Morrow to the day she gave birth to Prince Jahery.

Aeryn believed the dragons needed a blood sacrifice in order to exist, “life for a life” she said with extreme agony and tears rolling down her cheeks. Leoric was silent the whole time, he wasn’t shocked by what Aeryn was saying, but he was studying the princess so that to know where to start.

At two months old the dragons had grown a bit, Aeryn admitted she saw them breathing flames even though it was a weak fire but still once full grown, they will breathe a lot hotter and destructive flames. “They will grow twelve size of men, third size of towers and palaces. They will be a means to an end, I know it” insisted the princess.

Leoric digested the claim carefully, he was watching himself not to react in such a way he will scare the princess. He knew he had to be smart and not act like a child in such matters.

“Can they be killed?” This was the question Leoric asked, he was very serious and a frown look on his face clearly showed it. “I have never heard of dragons in my entire life, will there be a way to kill one?”

“I don’t know, but you are a well-informed man my lord. Will you help me avenge my son, a life for life. She took my son and I will have one of her dragons for it” she said bitterly.

“I can write to my friends across the Silent Sea, the islands in Sunset Sea but most important I shall write to my dear friend in Andreia. He is studying to be Master of the coins, Andreia is known for its deep knowledge of things... including unnatural species. We may yet find a solution, but I need to see them. Can you take me to them?”

Princess Aeryn stuttered, she wasn’t sure if she can get Lord Leoric inside Aurora’s Hill without being seen. Unless during the time when both Artemis and Aurora are at the main palace, which is seldom because Visenya was always with them.

This may have been an issue but it didn’t stop Aeryn from trying, she wanted Leoric to help her and she believed in him to be a good guy. At first she didn’t understand why she was so smitten by him, but later on she agreed she had a taste for well informed and rich men like Lord Leoric.

.....

The next day at dusk, Aurora’s palanquin crossed the narrow streets of the capital making its way towards the main palace. This night she was to sleep in the main palace because Artemis was having a feast with the nameless Lord of Arkala who came to trade his silks and spices to the capital. Artemis threw a feast for him not because he was important, but because Aurora wanted to see if he had any news of Lord Balon and Princess Sansa.

It was more of a gossip feast as Artemis called it but it was fun, and the Master of Spies couldn’t have missed it for the world. Lord Balrus was at the front ready to hear everything, especially since the Lord spoke of the princess as some he was well acquainted for and a close friend.

It turned out Princess Sansa and her sworn protector were expecting a child and she was five moons long, and that’s when Artemis knew Lord Balon will never get close to his dear wife again, not since she was with child already. Princess Aeryn embraced the feast today and sat close to her husband, she wore a brown silk dress and a jewelry around her neck.

There was a sort of glow in her face which was missed since the day she lost the child, she ate, laughed, drank some wine and even made jokes with the lord and his company. Aurora was happy seeing her good sister in good spirit but something was off, she knew it wasn’t Petrus who was making her happy – there was someone else.

Back at Aurora’s Hill the castle was lit up by candles and torches all over, guarded by one thousand trained knights from the grotesques up the castle to the clear roads in the narrow ways of the streets. It was indeed impregnable at the very first sight Leoric looked at it, but this was the best time.

“Are you sure they are not inside the castle?” asked Rush, she was inside a palanquin with Leoric nearing the gates of the castle. “We could be walking into a trap” she warned.

“The princess is too dumb and too dull to set a trap, they are not inside. That will be the last thing to worry you, but the guards... I don’t think if they will be easily convinced” said Leoric.

The palanquin carried by ten slaves wearing golden collars halted in front of Aurora’s Hill, and then Leoric walked outside of the palanquin dripping in silk robe so shiny it would blind one’s eyes. His braids shining and heavy with scented oils, he wore black sandals made of leather and lots of golden jewelry’s in his neck, wrists and in his braids.

Accompanying him was Rush in yellow satin dress, her black-brown hairs heavy with scented oils just like Lord Leoric – they used the same oils. Rush looked like a Lady and one could never guess she was once a courtesan by the way she perfectly embodied the role of a High born. Leoric helped her outside by lending her a hand, which she took it delightfully.

“We are here under the Queen’s orders to retrieve her things” said Lord Leoric to the guards who wore their helmets high above and seemed so serious and not easily convinced, these were sort of guards who weren’t easily bribed by golds because they were loyal to the crown. “I am Lord Leoric from the Mines” he added.

The Commander of Aurora’s Hill guards stepped on the front. He took off his helmet and looked at Lord Leoric, and then at Rush. He was a young man possibly the same age as Leoric, twenty-five but this one was too serious and Rush wondered if the word “smile” existed in his daily life.

“I have no permission to let anyone inside this castle, except the Queen” he blazed, with curiosity in his voice.

Leoric kept going “You do not need one since I just came from the main palace, it was the Queen herself who sent me here”

“The Queen doesn’t send lords and ladies to her castle, she sends her servants when she is in need of her things” The Commander replied speaking it straight to Leoric’s face as if showing him that he wasn’t intimidated by his shining silks, his slaves and most importantly the decorated palanquin.

Then the commander went back to the guard and stood firmly as if nothing happened. Leoric was one second from causing trouble or worse confront the guard but Rush came to the rescue, she pulled him away and they both walked inside the palanquin and the slaves carried them back to the where they came from.

From the inside, Visenya heard some altercations between the guards and Leoric. She rushed to come and see but the palanquin was out of sight, disappeared into the darkness and narrow streets of the capital. She paid it no mind since most of the times the guards get into an argument with the locals.

The strict security assured both Rush and Leoric about the existence of dragons and it was true Aurora was hiding the dragons in her castle. Leoric told Rush to hurry back to Raven and inform Lady Aryan about it, he insisted they needed an ally if they were to defeat them before they are grown.

“If we delay and somehow they grow twelve size of men, we are all doomed. You must tell her you heard Artemis wants her brother’s head by any means, he sent knives and poisons after him, that way we can alert them and if they were to attack now... then perhaps the dragons can all extinct as they are supposed to be” Leoric rushed Rush back to Raven.

Just like how she arrived inside the city’s gates during midnight, that’s exactly how she left. Thirty knights and five servants escorted her back to Raven, she had Uila by her side and they made jokes and told tales as they ride in darkness.

It was a long ride from Blackmount to Raven, they were looking at a week on the road if the horses were faster enough to pull the carriages but if they were not, then maybe ten days. Still a long ride but worth the information Rush wanted to deliver, she knew Aryan’s eyes will widen with amazement when she tells him of what she heard.